# CVE-2026-46208: batman-adv: stop tp_meter sessions during mesh teardown

> Attackers can trigger a use-after-free in the Linux kernel's batman-adv module during mesh teardown, potentially causing crashes or code execution.

- **Severity:** High 7.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 28 May 2026
- **Updated:** 5 Aug 2026
- **Also known as:** AZL-88839, BELL-CVE-2026-46208, DEBIAN-CVE-2026-46208, GHSA-jpxw-c2j5-6fpx, ROOT-OS-DEBIAN-11-CVE-2026-46208, ROOT-OS-DEBIAN-12-CVE-2026-46208, ROOT-OS-UBUNTU-2204-CVE-2026-46208, ROOT-OS-UBUNTU-2404-CVE-2026-46208, UBUNTU-CVE-2026-46208

## What is CVE-2026-46208?

CVE-2026-46208 is a high-severity use after free vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 28 May 2026. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:

batman-adv: stop tp_meter sessions during mesh teardown

TP meter sessions remain linked on bat_priv->tp_list after the netlink
request has already finished. When the mesh interface is removed,
batadv_mesh_free() currently tears down the mesh without first draining
these sessions.

A running sender thread or a late incoming tp_meter packet can then keep
processing against a mesh instance which is already shutting down.
Synchronize tp_meter with the mesh lifetime by stopping all active
sessions from batadv_mesh_free() and waiting for sender threads to exit
before teardown continues.

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-46208?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Linux kernel.

## How do I fix CVE-2026-46208?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2026-46208 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-46208 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Linux kernel

- [CVE-2026-53266](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-53266/): Linux Kernel Out-of-Bounds Write (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2013-6282](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2013-6282/): Linux Kernel Improper Input Validation (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2022-0185](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-0185/): Linux Kernel Heap-Based Buffer Overflow (high 8.4, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2013-2094](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2013-2094/): Linux Kernel Privilege Escalation (high 8.4, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2026-53362](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-53362/): Linux Kernel Unspecified (high 7.8, exploited in the wild)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-46208 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-46208 is a high-severity use after free vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 28 May 2026. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-46208 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Linux kernel. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-46208/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-46208/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-46208
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-46208
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-46208

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-46208/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.